How might urban slum communities become more resilient to the effects of climate change?

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Let's develop solutions that support communities as they adapt and transform to meet the challenges of climate change.

Let’s develop solutions that support communities as they adapt and transform to meet the challenges of climate change - from mounting pressures, like population growth and rising sea levels, to unexpected events like severe storms and heat waves.

Welcome to Amplify’s Urban Resilience Challenge. Together with the Global Resilience Partnership* (The Rockefeller Foundation, USAID and SIDA), we’re exploring new ideas for communities in urban slums to adapt, transform and thrive as they meet the challenges presented by climate change.

Already, almost 4 billion people live in cities and by 2045, that number is expected to reach 6 billion. This represents an unprecedented shift in how many of us will live our lives. As the earth gets warmer, sea levels rise and weather patterns become more erratic, the fates of billions will rest on the ability of cities to transform in response to these pressures.

The future is uncertain. While we can’t be sure of the exact nature of the effects of climate change or what crisis awaits us next, we know that those living in slums will be disproportionately impacted by these changes. Residents of slums already face challenges accessing safe housing, water and other basic resources. But they are also strong and resourceful – they have created homes, jobs and lives with very limited means. The solutions that they develop to meet these changes have the potential to impact the millions of urban poor and serve as inspiration for governments, where the voices of those living in informal settlements often go unheard.

As we build our cities to make room for growing populations and changing climate, it isn’t enough for us to solve for any single issue or protect against any one risk. We have the opportunity to transform social structures, small-scale infrastructure, communication systems and the way we use existing resources to build better, more resilient, places to live, work and play.

Amplify’s Urban Resilience Challenge creates opportunities for collaboration between slum dwellers, NGOs, social entrepreneurs, experts and designers. We believe that together, we can design solutions that build resilience to the effects of climate change in urban slums.

The Urban Resilience Challenge is now closed. Check out our shortlisted ideas here.

Amplify challenges are made possible with funding from the UK Department for International Development. Learn more about our challenges here.